1. Field
The embodiments discussed herein are related to a computer-readable storage medium storing a signature management program, a signature management method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a signature management system and method enabled to specify part(s) to be extracted from original data of streaming data, such as moving pictures and aural data, which are subject to partial extraction (more specifically including alteration, extraction and sanitizing), ensuring legitimacy of the extracted data and permitting third party certification.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, installation of security cameras in stores, on downtown streets and in condominiums and drive recorders on commercial vehicles has become a common practice, and moving pictures are used as legal evidence in an increasing number of cases. It is also becoming a matter of commonsense to record conversations between customers and operators for possible use as evidence and precautions against trouble in transactions or support services provided by telephone.
At present, when moving pictures or aural data are to be used as evidence, recorded video tapes, visual or aural files are presented as is. However, as the preservation of images and aural data is increasingly digitized, their alteration or editing becomes easier, and their use as evidence would require third party certification by signature, time stamp or the like. Actually, services and products which record voices of telephone operators with a time stamp are available in the market, and the needs for such techniques are expected to increase in the future.
On the other hand, in connection with the expanding use of security cameras, protection of privacy against the use of images taken by such cameras is much argued.
At the same time, the use of private information is strictly limited, and if so required by the person concerned, disclosure or partial deletion of such information may be required in some cases.
To address this requirement for compatibility between availability of evidence and privacy protection, research is advancing on securing of partial originality (integrity) of electronic documents and sanitizing signature techniques for keeping confidentiality (sanitization).